A Single-Bit 2nd-Order Delta-Sigma Modulator with 10-μm Column-Pitch for a Low Noise CMOS Image Sensor

Abstract

In this paper, a single-bit 2nd-order delta-sigma modulator with the architecture of cascaded-of-integrator feedforward (CIFF) is proposed for column-parallel analog-to-digital converter (ADC) array used in a low noise CMOS image sensor. The proposed modulator implements two switched capacitor integrators and a single-bit comparator within only 10-μm column-pitch for column-parallel ADC array. Also, peripheral circuits for driving all column modulators include a non-overlapping clock generator and a bias circuit. The proposed delta-sigma modulator has been implemented in a 110-nm CMOS process. It achieves 88.1-dB signal-to-noise-and-distortion ratio (SNDR), 88.6-dB spurious-free dynamic range (SFDR), and 14.3-bit effective-number-of-bits (ENOB) with an oversampling ratio (OSR) of 418 for 12-kHz bandwidth. The area and power consumption of the delta-sigma modulator are 970⨯10 μm2 and 248 μW, respectively.